Scientists refined an existing speciation model to identify key biogeochemical processes controlling dissolved uranium bioavailability to a freshwater snail. This information is important to advance current understanding and prediction of the ecological risk posed by uranium mining to freshwater ecosystems, including federally managed lands such as in the Grand Canyon area.

Bats are the only flying mammals that are active mostly at night and occur on all continents except Antarctica. Bats are ecologically diverse, with a range of species that specialize in feeding on fruit, nectar, blood, fish, small mammals, and insects. However, of the more than 1,100 known species of bats on Earth, the majority specialize in feeding on insects. In the United States for example...

HDgov is an interactive and mobile-responsive online portal to interagency, academic, and non-government resources focused on the human dimensions of natural resource management. The web portal provides easy access to tools, publications, data, and methods that help ensure that the people side of natural resources is considered throughout the entire natural resource management process. The...

The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Nation’s most iconic destinations that attract millions of visitors from across the Nation and around the world. Trip-related spending by NPS visitors generates and supports a considerable amount of economic activity within park gateway communities. USGS economists collaborate with the National Park Service social science program to estimate NPS...

The ultimate success of North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) depends on maintaining relevance to stakeholders and society. In order to be relevant, a first step is to better understand what people value in regard to waterfowl and their habitats. Without this information, NAWMP population, habitat, and people objectives may not reflect stakeholder and societal values; and management...

Federal investments in ecosystem restoration projects protect Federal trusts, ensure public health and safety, and preserve and enhance essential ecosystem services. These investments also generate business activity and create jobs. However, limited information exists on the costs and associated economic impacts of ecosystem restoration projects due to the complexity of the “restoration...

In 1999 and 2000, FORT conducted a survey of bats at El Malpais National Monument and adjacent lands. During this study, several species of bats were documented, including some that are known to use caves or lava-tube formations as roosts. In the winter of 2006–2007, the fungus-caused disease known as “white-nose syndrome” (WNS) began devastating populations of hibernating bat species that use...

The use of uranium is an alternative energy source to petroleum products and some of the United States’ highest quality ore is located on the Colorado Plateau. However, some regions where suitable mining efforts are conducted include areas that are near important environmental resources such as National Parks that provide viewscapes and habitat for wildlife.

The Volcano Hazards Program develops long-range volcano hazards assessments. These includes a summary of the specific hazards, their impact areas, and a map showing ground-hazard zones. The assessments are also critical for planning long-term land-use and effective emergency-response measures, especially when a volcano begins to show signs of unrest.

Legacy data (n) - Information stored in an old or obsolete format or computer system that is, therefore, difficult to access or process. (Business Dictionary, 2016) For over 135 years, the U.S. Geological Survey has collected diverse information about the natural world and how it interacts with society. Much of this legacy information is one-of-a-kind and in danger of being lost forever...

Transboundary aquifers are an essential source of water for United States – Mexico border communities. Declining water levels, deteriorating water quality, and increasing use of groundwater resources on both sides of the border raise concerns about the long-term availability of this supply.

The U.S. – Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act (Public Law 109-448) of 2006 was enacted...

Two small-scale maps of Arizona show (1) pumpage of ground water by areas and (2) the status of the ground-water inventory in the State. The main map, which is at a scale of 1:500,000, shows potential well production, depth of water in selected wells in spring 1977, and change in water level in selected wells from 1972 to 1977. The brief text that...

View of reattachment sandbar located near the Carbon Creek drainage on Colorado River (River Mile 65). Photo is from the long-term sandbar monitoring remote camera time-series archives, and shows the sandbar two months after the 2008 Spring High Flow Event.

Sandbar on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon deposited by 2008 controlled flood. The river is flowing from left to right and the location is approximately 64 miles downstream from Lees Ferry, Arizona.

As part of the assessment of the binational San Pedro aquifer, the effects of urbanization on runoff in ephemeral streams was studied. Ephemeral streams are those that flow in response to precipitation. Runoff in tributaries to the San Pedro River is important in understanding the water budget of the river. In addition, in arid watersheds such as the San Pedro, flow in

Climate change combined with overlapping high-intensity land uses are likely to create conditions detrimental to the recreation economy, wildlife habitat, water availability and other resources in hyper-arid landscapes, or drylands, in the future, according to a paper published in Ecosphere

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report today describing salinity levels in streams and ground water in parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The report concludes that although salinity varies widely throughout the region, levels have generally decreased in many streams during the past two decades.

The U.S. Geological Survey hosted a two-day scientific workshop that drew state and federal government scientists, and university researchers together to discuss interdisciplinary research along the US-Mexico border.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has recently released a new fact sheet/report describing investigations that have taken place in Lake Mead, Nevada and Arizona, on synthetic organic compounds. These compounds potentially can cause endocrine disruption in common carp.

Recently collected data for endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha) in Grand Canyon suggest that the population of adult fish (age 4+) may be stabilizing after more than a decade of decline, according to biologists with the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Southwest Biological Science Center.

Recently collected data for endangered humpback chub (Gila cypha) in Grand Canyon suggest that the population of adult fish (age 4+) may be stabilizing after more than a decade of decline, according to biologists with the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Southwest Biological Science Center.

Today, June 5, 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announces the recipients of the third year of the Mineral Resources External Research Program, a grant and/or cooperative agreement opportunity designed to support minerals research.

One of every four fishes in streams of 12 western states is non-native, according to a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study published in November 2005 in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management. And, researchers found, it´s not just that there are a lot of non-native fishes but they are also widespread...

One of every four fishes in streams of 12 western states is non-native, according to a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study published in November 2005 in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management.